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Have you ever wondered if crabs and lobsters felt pain or fear as they were being boiled alive before making it onto your dinner plate? 



Recent studies suggest that these creatures experience discomfort in ways we hadn't fully understood before.



Dr. Lynne Sneddon, a zoophysiologist at the <a href="https://www.gu.se/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Gothenburg</a>, believes it's time we reconsider how we treat these animals. 



"We need to find less painful ways to kill shellfish if we are to continue eating them. Because now we have scientific evidence that they both experience and react to pain," she says.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-crustaceans-the-basics">Understanding crustaceans -- the basics</h2>



Crustaceans have been <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bright-coloration-in-crayfish-does-not-serve-an-evolutionary-purpose/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">roaming the Earth</a> for an impressive span of over 500 million years. 



They first appeared during the Cambrian period, a time known for the "<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grand-canyon-fossils-reveal-secrets-of-the-cambrian-explosion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cambrian Explosion</a>" when many major animal groups emerged. 



Early crustaceans already showcased the key features we recognize today, such as their hard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shellfish-consumed-by-humans-are-ironically-more-resistant-to-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exoskeletons</a>, segmented bodies, and jointed limbs. 



This long evolutionary history has allowed them to diversify into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meet-melita-panda-the-black-and-white-crustacean-shrimp/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thousands of species</a>, adapting to a wide range of environments from the deepest parts of the oceans to freshwater rivers and even some terrestrial areas.



Crustaceans, such as crabs and lobsters, are more than just seafood delicacies. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/do-crabs-and-lobsters-have-emotions-and-feelings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">These fascinating creatures</a> boast a hard exoskeleton made of chitin, providing them with protection and support. 



With ten legs -- often featuring claws or pincers -- they navigate their environments with ease. 



Their bodies are segmented into the head, thorax, and abdomen, and they have specialized appendages for swimming, walking, or digging.



These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-deep-sea-crustacean-species-discovered-in-the-bahamas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adaptable animals</a> can be found almost everywhere: from the deepest ocean trenches to freshwater rivers and even damp terrestrial spots. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crabs-pain-and-perception">Crabs, pain, and perception</h2>



Until now, the idea that crustaceans feel pain was mostly based on observational studies. 



Researchers noticed that when crabs and lobsters were exposed to potentially harmful stimuli -- like electric shocks or acids -- they would touch the affected area or try to avoid the danger in subsequent encounters. 



This behavior led many to believe they might be experiencing pain.



But the team at the University of Gothenburg took it a step further. PhD student Eleftherios Kasiouras led a study where they measured the activity in a shore crab's brain using EEG-style recordings. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/crabs_feel-pain_electrodes_shore-crab_Eleftherios-Kasiouras_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/crabs_feel-pain_electrodes_shore-crab_Eleftherios-Kasiouras_1s.webp" alt="Electrodes measuring brain activity were attached to a shore crab, which was then subjected to mechanical and chemical stimuli. Credit: Eleftherios Kasiouras" class="wp-image-1951623"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Electrodes measuring brain activity were attached to a shore crab, which was then subjected to mechanical and chemical stimuli. Credit: Eleftherios Kasiouras</figcaption></figure>



"We could see that the crab has some kind of pain receptors in its soft tissues, because we recorded an increase in brain activity when we applied a potentially painful chemical, a form of vinegar, to the crab's soft tissues. The same happened when we applied external pressure to several of the crab's body parts," he explains.



These findings suggest that shore crabs have a pain signaling system that sends messages to their brains when they experience harmful stimuli. 



Interestingly, the pain response was shorter and more intense with physical stress, while chemical stress produced a longer-lasting effect.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-if-crabs-feel-pain-what-about-lobsters">If crabs feel pain, what about lobsters?</h2>



Given that many crustaceans share similar structures and nervous systems, these results could extend beyond shore crabs. 



"It is a given that all animals need some kind of pain system to cope by avoiding danger. I don't think we need to test all species of crustaceans, as they have a similar structure and therefore similar nervous systems," Kasiouras explains.



"We can assume that shrimps, crayfish, and lobsters can also send external signals about painful stimuli to their brain which will process this information."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-crustaceans">Importance of crustaceans</h2>



Crustaceans play <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-did-billions-of-crabs-vanish-from-the-bering-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vital roles in their ecosystems</a>. Acting as both predators and prey, they help maintain the balance of marine and freshwater food webs.



For humans, they are a significant food source, contributing to economies worldwide. They're also valuable in scientific research, aiding studies on regeneration, development, and environmental health.



However, challenges like overfishing and habitat destruction <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crabs-are-losing-their-sense-of-smell-and-vanishing-due-to-ocean-acidification/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">threaten their populations</a>. This raises concerns about sustainability and the need for better practices to ensure these creatures thrive for future generations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reconsidering-how-we-handle-seafood">Reconsidering how we handle seafood</h2>



Currently, shellfish like prawns, lobsters, crabs, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-crayfish-atlas-offers-new-tools-for-conservation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crayfish aren't covered</a> by animal welfare legislation in the European Union. 



This means practices that might cause them pain are still legally acceptable. But with new evidence pointing to their ability to feel pain, there's a growing call to change how we treat these animals.



Dr. Sneddon emphasizes the need for change: "We need more research to find less painful ways to kill shellfish." 



If we continue to consume these creatures, it's crucial to ensure we're not causing unnecessary suffering.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-this-is-awful-but-what-can-we-do">This is awful, but what can we do?</h2>



The first step is acknowledging that these animals might experience pain similarly to how we do. 



With that understanding, industries and regulators can work towards implementing more humane methods of handling and killing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strawberry-claws-the-hermit-crab-that-sings-underwater/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crustaceans</a>. 



This could involve developing new technologies or techniques that minimize pain or distress.



Consumers also play a role. By supporting businesses that prioritize humane practices and advocating for better regulations, we can encourage a shift towards more ethical treatment of these animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crabs-pain-and-human-compassion">Crabs, pain, and human compassion</h2>



As we learn more about the creatures we share our planet with, it's essential to adapt our behaviors accordingly. 



Knowing that crabs, lobsters, and other crustaceans can feel pain changes the game on how we should treat them, especially when it comes to cooking and handling. 



It's not just about following laws or guidelines -- it's about being mindful and compassionate in our everyday choices, treating sentient creatures with respect. 



By supporting humane practices and staying informed, we can help ensure that all crustaceans are treated with the respect they've earned by inhabiting our planet for over 500 million years.



As we move forward, both industries and individuals have a part to play. After all, how we treat the smallest of creatures often reflects our values as a society.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/11/851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biology</a>.



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Disturbing study calls for immediate ban on boiling crabs and lobsters alive

Have you ever wondered if crabs and lobsters felt pain or fear as they were being boiled alive before making it onto your dinner plate? Recent studies suggest that these creatures experience discomfort in ways we hadn't fully understood before. Dr. Lynne Sneddon, a zoophysiologist at the University of Gothenburg, believes it's time we reconsider how we treat these animals. "We need to find less painful ways to kill shellfish if we are to continue eating them. Because now we have scientific evidence that they both experience...

The cost of invasive species to human society totaled at least $1.28 trillion from 1970 to 2017, and the damage is tripling every decade, according to researchers at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a>. The experts report that in 2017 alone, the cost of invasive species hit $162.7 billion.

Invasive species have damaged crop yields, critical national infrastructure, and human health. However, these damages are not sufficiently recognized by policy makers or the public. 

The researchers analyzed thousands of cost estimates to calculate the annual economic losses tied to invasive species. These annual costs are expected to rise into the trillions in the coming years due to the increasing frequency of biological invasions.

Study lead author Dr. Christophe Diagne is an invasion ecologist at the University Paris-Saclay. He said that his team has created a reliable, standardized catalog of the economic costs caused by biological invasions to help clarify the importance of effective management policies going forward.

"This trillion-dollar bill doesn't show any sign of slowing down, with a consistent threefold increase per decade," said Dr. Diagne.

"Our annual global estimates signify the huge economic burden, with the average cost exceeding the gross domestic product of 50 countries on the African continent in 2017, and it's more than 20 times higher than the total funds available for the World Health Organization and UN combined."

Professor Corey Bradshaw noted that biological invasions are increasingly exacerbated by globalization and climate change, but no government is prepared to manage the crisis without substantial costs. "We found that costs roughly doubled every 6 years, a pattern that mimics the continuous increase in the number of alien species worldwide."

Despite the enormous impacts associated with biological invasions, the public remains largely unaware of these threats. For example, invasive species are the second biggest driver of extinctions.

"The global costs of invasive alien species are so massive that we spent months verifying our models and this overall estimate, to insure we were not exaggerating," said Dr. Diagne. "As it turns out, our very conservative approach is in fact a massive underestimation of the actual economic costs".

"The trend can be explained by a combination of factors: the ongoing intensification of global trade and transport creates many more opportunities for invasions; the growing 'land take' of the planet surface, for example, expansion of agriculture and infrastructure, makes our societies sensitive to impacts from these invasions."

The researchers warn that the costs in both developed and developing economies are soaring, and will continue to do so unless governments coordinate effective international policies to reduce the risks. 

"That's why we're calling for international policy agreements that aim to reduce the burden of invasive species," said Professor Bradshaw.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Invasive species have racked up more than $1.28 trillion in damages

The cost of invasive species to human society totaled at...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> reveals that tilapias do not die in stressful conditions like most <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warm-river-habitats-are-important-for-cold-water-fish/">fish</a>. Instead, these resilient animals survive in rough environments by stunting their growth and carrying on with their lives in dwarf form.

In stressful environments like crowded aquaculture ponds, tilapias adapt so well that they stop growing and reproduce at a smaller size.

"Tilapia and other fish in the Cichlidae family do not spawn 'earlier' than other fishes, as it is commonly believed. Rather, they are uncommonly tolerant of stressful environmental conditions which, however, elevate their oxygen demand," explained study lead author Upali S. Amarasinghe of the University of Kelaniya.

Just like all fish, tilapias need more oxygen to sustain bodily functions when their metabolism increases. However, the gills eventually reach a point where they cannot supply enough oxygen for a larger body, so the fish either dies or just stops growing.

Study co-author Daniel Pauly is the principal investigator of the Sea Around Us initiative at UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries. 

"Gill surface area grows in two dimensions, that is, length and width, but they cannot keep up with bodies that grow in three dimensions - length, width and depth," said Pauly.

"As fish get bigger, their gills provide less oxygen per unit of body weight. Thus, to stay alive in stressful conditions, which increase their oxygen demand, fish have to remain smaller. This theme is further developed in what I called the Gill Oxygen Limitation Theory."

For tilapias, the stress they experience in their environment is compounded by the stress of their gills not keeping with the increasing oxygen demand of their growing bodies. The subsequent cascade of hormones triggers maturation and spawning at smaller sizes than what would occur under optimal conditions.

The experts noted that the spawning does not simply occur at a younger age, as the fish's growth process has already ended.

For their investigation, the researchers analyzed the maximum lengths reached among nine different fish species, including tilapia and other cichlids, in lakes and aquaculture ponds across the world. Overall, the team studied 41 populations of fish in places like Brazil, Uganda, Egypt, and Hong Kong.

When they looked at the ratio between the maximum lengths these fishes can reach and their lengths when they reproduce for the first time, they found it was the same for tilapias that has been previously identified in other fish.

"This ratio tells us that tilapias in stressful conditions don't spawn 'earlier,' they just adjust their size downward, but their life cycle continues," said Amarasinghe.

"These findings will matter to fish farmers, notably in Asia, whose ponds are often full of wildly reproducing, small tilapia for which there is no market," noted Pauly.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.asianfisheriessociety.org/publication/">Asian Fisheries Science</a>. 

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tilapias stunt their own growth to survive stressful conditions

A new study from the University of British Columbia reveals...

Experts at the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/">University of York</a> are urging for further investigation into the potential environmental impacts of sunscreen, particularly on the world's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/do-coral-reefs-depend-on-poop-from-their-predators/">coral reefs</a>.

While it is known that UV-filter compounds have toxic effects on marine life, studies in this area are limited and do not account for certain variables, such as differences in environmental conditions.

"Given the declining status of coral reef ecosystems and the many stressors they already face, it is important to identify the potential occurrence and toxicological risks associated with UV-filter exposure to reef ecosystems," said Dr. Brett Sallach. "Our research aimed to identify what research was out there and what gaps we had in our knowledge." 

"Importantly we needed to understand what areas could be considered priority for future attention in order to understand the impacts of these products, and hopefully prevent any further damage to the environment."

"Undoubtedly products that can help protect against the harmful effects of UV radiation on human health are hugely important, and therefore we need reliable and extensive evidence to suggest any changes or scaling back of these products."

The researchers consulted with experts in the field of marine UV-filter exposure to understand the limitations of current research and what areas need urgent attention.

The team found that the majority of research on UV-filter compounds has been focused on freshwater ecosystems. 

The analysis also revealed that environmental conditions can either increase or decrease the response that organisms have to toxic elements, which means that the true risks of sunscreen exposure are not yet known. According to the researchers, coral reefs will require long-term monitoring.

"We make four recommendations for priority research areas going forward, based on our consultation with experts. We need more work in the area of understanding UV-filter toxicity under different climate conditions, and long-term study into exposure and recovery of coral reefs," said study lead author Yasmine Watkins.

"We also need to know realistic exposure to these compounds and how long they exist in the marine environment, to determine what the 'safe' limits are."

The researchers aim to highlight these priority areas to better inform regulators and policy makers to improve conservation and management of coral reefs.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15513793">Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management</a>

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How is sunscreen impacting coral reefs?

Experts at the University of York are urging for further...

Fiber is an essential <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-ground-squirrels-recycle-their-own-nutrients-during-hibernation/">nutrient</a> that has been linked to weight loss, healthy blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol. Now, in a new study from the <a href="https://www.unicamp.br/unicamp/english">University of Campinas</a> in Brazil, researchers have found evidence that fiber may also play an important role in controlling the inflammation associated with COVID-19.

The experts report that compounds produced by gut microbiota during the fermentation of insoluble fiber have the potential to limit the severity of COVID-19. These compounds were found to reduce the expression of a gene that plays a key role in viral cell entry and a cytokine receptor that favors inflammation.

Meanwhile, the molecules did not affect the ability of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 to enter and replicate in cells lining the intestines. 

As many as half of all COVID-19 patients experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. These symptoms have been detected in 17.6 percent of severe cases, and are partly associated with viral entry into intestinal cells that alters their normal functions.

Furthermore, recent studies have found evidence of major changes in the gut microbiota of COVID-19 patients, including a decrease in levels of bacteria that secrete short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) by fermenting dietary fiber. These fatty acids are important to colon health and to maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier.

The researchers set out to investigate whether SFCAs directly influence the infection of intestinal cells by SARS-CoV-2. 

“In earlier research, we found in animals that compounds produced by gut microbiota help protect the organism against respiratory infection," said Patrícia Brito Rodrigues.

"The model used there was respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes bronchiolitis and frequently infects children. Similar results have been obtained by other research groups in studies of different respiratory diseases."

For the current study, healthy colon tissue and epithelial cells were infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the lab and subjected to a battery of tests.

“Viral load wasn’t reduced and was the same in cells and tissue treated with SCFAs and in untreated samples," explained Professor Raquel Franco Leal. "However, treated intestinal biopsy samples displayed a significant decrease in expression of the gene DDX58 (an innate immune system receptor that detects viral nucleic acids and activates a signaling cascade that results in production of pro-inflammatory cytokines) and the interferon-lambda receptor, which mediates antiviral activity."

"There was also a decrease in expression of the protein TMPRSS2, which is important to viral cell entry."

Tissue and cell samples were treated with a mixture of compounds that are produced by gut microbiota during the metabolization of the SCFAs present in dietary fiber. The treatments did not alter viral load in colon biopsies or cells, and there were no changes in cell wall permeability and integrity.

“That doesn’t exclude the possibility of significant action by SCFAs on infection by SARS-CoV-2. The antiviral effects could depend on interaction with other cells in the organism,” explained Rodrigues. 

“We’ll continue our investigation in animal models since the action of these compounds on the infection could depend on a more complete system than the samples we used in vitro (isolated cells and tissues).”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/kgmi20/current">Gut Microbes</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fiber may help control inflammation in COVID-19 patients

Fiber is an essential nutrient that has been linked to...

In a new study from <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a>,  researchers have discovered that murrelets use eavesdropping to choose the best breeding locations. 

The experts played back recorded bird calls in <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/earths-forests-are-becoming-younger-and-smaller/">forests</a> and found that as the seabirds selected their breeding sites, they were strongly influenced by whether they heard other murrelets in the area.

With murrelet populations in a state decline, the research indicates that recovery could be hindered by the lack of nearby birds to provide information about where to nest.

Study lead author Jonathon Valente is a postdoctoral researcher with the College of Forestry's Oregon Marbled Murrelet Project.

"The odds that marbled murrelets would consider nesting at sites where we broadcast murrelet calls were many times greater than at sites where we didn't," said Valente.

Unlike their close relatives, puffins and murres, marbled murrelets raise their young as far as 60 miles inland in old-growth forests.

"There aren't many species like it," said study co-author Jim Rivers. "In fact, there's no other bird that feeds in the ocean and commutes such long distances to inland nest sites. This behavior is really unusual and it makes this species especially challenging to study."

In 2016, the OSU team broadcasted bird calls at 14 potential breeding sites during mating season. Between the rounds of simulated calls, the experts recorded wild murrelet calls at the sites. These call rates were compared with rates at control sites where no recorded calls were broadcast.

The simulated calls increased the odds of recording wild murrelet calls by as much as 15 times. The scientists theorized that these were young "prospecting" birds, on the lookout for new nesting sites.

The researchers were surprised to discover that these prospectors remembered the locations of the experimental sites the following breeding season - nearly a year after the broadcasted calls had ceased. 

The likelihood of murrelets occupying a site during the 2017 breeding season was 10 times greater if the recorded calls were played there the previous year.

"That means it would likely be a good idea for conservation managers to consider broadcasting vocalizations to encourage murrelets to nest in unused, high-quality habitat," said study co-author Matt Betts. "And because murrelets are attracted to other murrelets, protecting areas adjacent to known nesting sites may also be an effective conservation approach."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/auk">Ornithology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Murrelets rely on each other to find breeding sites

In a new study from Oregon State University,  researchers have...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.nd.edu/">University of Notre Dame</a> has revealed that formal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/higher-educational-status-linked-to-healthier-diet/">education</a> does not consistently lead to greater job satisfaction. In fact, there is almost no correlation between the two, according to the researchers.

"Our study shows people who have invested in formal education do not tend to be more satisfied in their jobs," said study co-author Professor Brittany Solomon. 

"We found that better-educated individuals do enjoy greater job-related resources including income, job autonomy and variety. But they also endure longer work hours and increased job pressure, intensity and urgency." 

"On average, these demands are associated with increased stress and decreased job satisfaction, largely offsetting the positive gains associated with greater resources."

The researchers determined that the association between education and job satisfaction was more likely to be negative among women, yet less negative among individuals who are self-employed. 

"Women still face workplace adversity that can undermine the positive returns on their educational investment," said Professor Solomon. "This dynamic is particularly important given the reversal of the gender gap in education, with more women completing higher education than men."

"We explored the notion that the education-job satisfaction link is negative and stronger for women and discovered that, compared to their highly educated male counterparts, highly educated women experience more stress at work and lower job satisfaction."

The experts noted that self-employment offers considerable flexibility to organize one's schedule, choose the work content, and to decide how to respond to job demands.

"We found that, compared to their wage-employed counterparts, those in self-employment seem to be more insulated from the adverse effects of education on job stress and satisfaction," explained Professor Solomon. "We believe illuminating this boundary condition is notable for the educated and organizations that value and want to retain their educated employees."

The researchers do not advise skipping higher education in an effort to achieve greater job satisfaction, but instead recommend a realistic calculation of the trade-offs of specific working conditions, including the associated stress.

"Balancing those conditions that lead to both stress and job satisfaction may help workers recalibrate their values and ultimately make decisions that suit their priorities," said Professor Solomon. "Leaders may also consider better ways to manage the greater demands encountered by their highly educated employees so that exploiting an organization's greatest human capital does not backfire. For example, by removing incentives for employees to take on excessive work hours, organizations can avoid inadvertently pressuring employees to incur stress that undermines job satisfaction."

"Many people pursue higher education to get a better job on paper, not realizing that this 'better job' isn't actually better due to the unanticipated effects of demands and stress over time," Solomon said. "It's good for people to be realistic about the career paths they pursue and what they ultimately value."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/apl">Journal of Applied Psychology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Formal education is not linked to greater job satisfaction

A new study from the University of Notre Dame has...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> propose that having friends and enemies makes evolutionary sense among the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/faking-death-is-a-good-way-for-animals-to-stay-alive/">animals</a> that age slowly and live for many years. The scientists argue that natural selection favors complex social structures and relationships in long-lived animals. 

Animals that live fast and die young focus their energy on reproduction, while animals that age much more slowly invest in survival and live longer lives.

For long-lived animals, knowing their friends and enemies comes more easily, and helps them to live even longer. Animals that live and die at a fast pace, however, should only bother with social relationships if it increases their chances of reproduction, explained the researchers.

"Slow-living species can afford to invest in social relationships, as they live long enough to enjoy the pay-offs," said Professor Dave Hodgson. "There is strong evidence that strong social bonds are beneficial for survival in slow-living species, including humans."

"We suggest there is a 'positive feedback' - certain social behaviours lead to a longer life, and longer lifespan promotes the development of social bonds."

Professor Hodgson said there is growing evidence that differentiated social relationships have a stronger supportive effect on survival than on reproduction. As a result, fast-lived species do not gain the same evolutionary advantages from social relationships as long-lived species.

"If we want to understand more about social relationships and lifespan, we need to think about the relationship between the two," said Dr. Matthew Silk. He noted that further research is needed to explore the social structures of wild animals, and could help to clarify the links between social bonds, survival and reproduction.

"Our proposal, that strong and weak social bonds will be more prevalent in slower-living animals, is theoretical," said Professor Hodgson. "We know a lot about animal lifespans, but we know too little about the social structures of many types of animal. If we are right, then social bonds could really be key to longer life."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/home">Trends in Ecology and Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Social bonds are more advantageous for long-lived animals

Researchers at the University of Exeter propose that having friends...

For the first time, researchers have succeeded in registering <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-increases-blood-flow-to-the-brain/">brain</a> waves through a hearing implant. Using a cochlear implant, eperts at <a href="https://www.kuleuven.be/kuleuven/">KU Leuven</a> measured brain waves to analyze the quality of a person's hearing in an objective way. The findings may ultimately assist in the development of improved smart hearing aids. 

A cochlear implant is designed for people with severe hearing loss. The device is adjusted based on the user's input, but this can be challenging in certain cases,  such as when children are born deaf. It is difficult to assess how well babies can hear sounds in order to tune a hearing implant.

One possible solution is to adjust the device based on brain waves, which contain information about how an individual processes the sounds they hear. In collaboration with the manufacturer Cochlear, the KU Leuven team has demonstrated that this is possible. 

"We used an experimental implant that works exactly the same way as a normal implant, but with easier access to the electronics," says postdoctoral researcher Ben Somers.

"A cochlear implant contains electrodes that stimulate the auditory nerve. This is how sound signals are transmitted to the brain. In our research, we have succeeded in using these implanted electrodes to record the brain waves that arise in response to sound. That is a first." 

"An additional advantage is that by carefully choosing the right measuring electrodes, we can measure larger brain responses than the classical EEG with electrodes on the head."

According to Professor Tom Francart, an implant that can register brain waves and measure hearing quality on its own has various advantages.

"Firstly, we get an objective measurement that does not depend on the user's input. In addition, you could measure a person's hearing in everyday life and monitor it better," said Professor Francart. "So, in the long run, the user would no longer have to undergo testing at the hospital. An audiologist could consult the data remotely and adjust the implant where necessary."

"In the future, it should even be possible for the hearing implant to adjust itself autonomously based on the recorded brain waves. We have a long way to go before that, but this study is a necessary first step. Based on our findings, manufacturers can now move forward with developing smart hearing devices that improve the quality of life of the people that use them."

"Besides audiological applications, there are numerous other possibilities that come with measuring brain waves. Think of monitoring sleep, attention span or epilepsy, but also, for example, so-called brain computer interfaces that allow you to control other devices with brainwaves."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Implant measures hearing quality through brain waves

For the first time, researchers have succeeded in registering brain...

A new study from <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">NC State University</a> reveals how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warm-river-habitats-are-important-for-cold-water-fish/">water</a> cycle is affected by the way that forests are managed. The researchers found that younger trees take up and release less water than mature trees that are ten years or older.

The team tracked water movement in wetland pine forests near the North Carolina coast for 14 years. The findings suggest that managers could adjust the timing of timber harvests to leave older trees alongside new growth to mitigate runoff.

"The water balance, especially in coastal sites, is very important," said study lead author Maricar Aguilos. "We have so much water there. We wanted to understand how land-use changes impact water use and drainage in the forests, as well as how they affect the growth of the trees."

The experts used data from a long-term research project that was designed to understand how pine forests managed for timber and natural hardwood are responding to changing climate conditions. 

For the project, meteorological sensors were placed on towers above the forest canopy. This enabled the researchers to track water flow to and from the site, including during a severe drought in 2007 and 2008. The sensors were also used to track the forests' ability to store carbon. 

"In order to study the response of coastal ecosystems to climate change and sea-level rise, we need long-term observations," said study co-author Professor John King.

"The longer we can let those studies run, the better our data will be, and the more effectively we can help inform policy." 

The current study evaluated how much water the trees use and release as vapor, compared to how much is lost as drainage.

The experts found that younger pine plantations released increasingly higher amounts of water from the evaporation of water from the soil and through transpiration. Mature plantations were found to drain less water than younger pine forests.

"We found that the trees use more water as they mature," said study co-author Ge Sun. "Water use stabilized by about year 10 in the pine forests."

This suggests that clear-cutting a site and replanting it could lead to increased drainage and flooding off the site initially, but the impacts would diminish as the trees grow.

"The mature plantations help to mitigate effects of forest harvesting on drainage at a landscape scale," said Aguilos. "If you harvest to leave trees of different ages, they can help each other."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/agricultural-and-forest-meteorology">Agricultural and Forest Meteorology</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Younger trees use up and release less water

A new study from NC State University reveals how the...

Experts at the <a href="https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/university/">University of Würzburg</a> have discovered that plants have a memory of drought and respond accordingly to save water. 

During drought, plants produce the signaling molecule GABA to inhibit the opening of leaf pores and subsequent water loss. The new research shows that plant cells autonomously perceive stress and react to it with GABA production.

"I've been studying how plants regulate their water balance for over 35 years," said Professor Rainer Hedrich. "To find a completely new and unexpected way for saving water has certainly been one of the most surprising discoveries in my life." 

The team discovered the unexpected strategy in collaboration with researchers at the University of Adelaide. 

The study found that plants use GABA to remember the dryness of a day. The drier it is, the more GABA accumulates in the plant tissue throughout the day. The next morning, the amount of GABA determines how wide the plant opens its leaf pores. 

In both humans and animals, GABA serves as a messenger in the nervous system. Despite the fact that plants have no nerve cells and no brain, GABA has now been linked to memory-like processes.

Hedrich also determined that GABA is involved in short-term memory in Venus flytraps, where its production is regulated by calcium levels. 

According to Professor Matthew Gilliham, the GABA effect has been demonstrated in various crops. "Under the influence of GABA, barley, broad beans and soybeans, for example, close their leaf pores." 

The researchers demonstrated in the lab that plants that produce more GABA due to mutations need less water and can survive in drought conditions longer.

While scientists know of other signaling substances that cause the leaf pores to close in plants, GABA relies on a completely different mechanism of action, explained study lead author Dr. Bo Xu.

A better understanding of the water-saving mechanisms in plants is becoming increasingly important to promote heat tolerance, as climate change threatens to make droughts much more frequent and intense.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants have a memory of drought

Experts at the University of Würzburg have discovered that plants...

The permanent rise of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere likely occurred 100 million years later than expected, according to a new study from the <a href="http://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a>.

The Great Oxidation Event, when our atmosphere and ocean first experienced a rise in oxygen about 2.43 billion years ago, was a pivotal point in the planet's history. This event set the stage for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/was-life-on-earth-literally-sparked-by-lightning/">life</a> to evolve in Earth. 

The experts analyzed rocks that were deposited in the ocean at the time of the Great Oxidation Event. The investigation revealed that early atmospheric oxygenation was short-lived, and oxygen did not become permanent until much later.

"The Great Oxidation Event fundamentally changed Earth's environment and habitability. This early period of oxygenation was thought to have occurred between about 2.43 and 2.32 billion years ago," said study lead author Professor Simon Poulton.

"However, our research shows that, in fact, oxygenation of the atmosphere was highly unstable over a period of about 200 million years, with permanent atmospheric oxygenation occurring about 100 million years later that previously thought."

The results of the analysis indicate that there is a direct link between fluctuations in atmospheric oxygen concentration and greenhouse gas concentrations.

"These findings help explain four widespread glaciations that occurred coincident with the Great Oxidation Event, some of which were likely to have covered the whole of the Earth in ice for millions of years," said study co-author Professor Andrey Bekker of the University of California-Riverside.

"Our new data show that the permanent rise of oxygen actually occurred after the final major glaciation of the period and not before it, which had previously been a major puzzle in our understanding of links between early atmospheric oxygenation and intense climatic instability."

The research team has renamed this period the Great Oxidation Episode. After this point, the climate was relatively stable for 1.5 billion years until a second major period of rising oxygen and climate instability at the end of the Precambrian period.

"The rise of atmospheric oxygen was a key factor in Earth's habitability," explained study co-author Professor David Johnston of Harvard University.

"Unraveling the history of atmospheric oxygenation ultimately allows us to understand how oxygen rose to levels that were sufficient to allow the evolution of animals. The Great Oxidation Episode, when atmospheric oxygen first rose to appreciable levels, represents a pivotal step in this history."

"We cannot begin to understand the causes and consequences of atmospheric oxygenation, the most significant control on Earth's habitability, if we do not know when permanent atmospheric oxygenation actually occurred," said Professor Poulton. "Now at last we have that piece of the puzzle."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Permanent rise of Earth's oxygen took an extra 100 million years

The permanent rise of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere likely...

In a new study published by the <a href="https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/">British Ecological Society</a>, experts report that a widely available coffee waste product can be used to speed up the recovery of tropical forests that have been cleared for agricultural practices. 

For the investigation, researchers from ETH-Zurich and the University of Hawaii spread 30 dump truck loads of coffee pulp on degraded land in Costa Rica. The team also marked an untreated plot for comparison.  

"The results were dramatic," said study lead author Dr. Rebecca Cole. "The area treated with a thick layer of coffee pulp turned into a small forest in only two years while the control plot remained dominated by non-native pasture grasses."

In two years, the site treated with coffee pulp had 80 percent canopy cover compared to just 20 percent in the control area. In addition, the canopy in the coffee pulp area was four times taller.

The addition of coffee waste eliminated the invasive pasture grasses that dominated the land, allowing native trees to quickly become established.

Former tropical agricultural land is often very degraded with poor soil quality, which can delay forest recovery. The researchers found that nutrients including carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous were significantly higher in the area treated with the coffee waste product.

"This case study suggests that agricultural by-products can be used to speed up forest recovery on degraded tropical lands," said Dr. Cole.."In situations where processing these by-products incurs a cost to agricultural industries, using them for restoration to meet global reforestation objectives can represent a 'win-win' scenario."

The study was conducted in Coto Brus county in southern Costa Rica on a former coffee farm. Dr. Cole noted that further research is needed to test the use of coffee waste in forest restoration. 

"We would like to scale up the study by testing this method across a variety of degraded sites in the landscape. Also, this concept could be tested with other types of agricultural non-market products like orange husks," said Dr. Cole.

"We hope our study is a jumping off point for other researchers and industries to take a look at how they might make their production more efficient by creating links to the global restoration movement."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/26888319">Ecological Solutions and Evidence</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Coffee waste can help accelerate tropical forest recovery

In a new study published by the British Ecological Society,...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;



According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;



Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. 



Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.



Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

How does salt makes things taste better?

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

How the immune system responds to injury

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...